February 19, 2025 The Best Source of News, Culture, Lifestyle for Culver City, Mar Vista, Del Rey, Palms and West Los Angeles

Report: LAPD’s Use-Of-Force Policy in Need of Revamping

Courtesy Image
One recommendation suggested that the LAPD’s use-of-force policy be revised “to emphasize that deadly force shall only be exercised when reasonable alternatives have been exhausted or appear impracticable. Courtesy image.

Two members of the Los Angeles Police Commission called for a revamping of the LAPD’s use-of-force policy to include provisions saying officers need to make every available effort to de-escalate confrontations before resorting to force, according to a report.

The report, released Friday, by the Los Angeles Police Department’s Inspector General, Alexander Bustamante, gave a 10-year history of the LAPD’s use-of-force policy, including amendments made during that period and details on how use-of-force cases are investigated and adjudicated by the department.

Included in the report were 12 recommendations proposed by Police Commission President Matthew Johnson and Commissioner Robert Saltzman aimed at emphasizing the need for officers to do what they can to de-escalate potentially violent confrontations, with those attempts being considered when the commission reviews whether a use of force was justified.

One recommendation suggested that the LAPD’s use-of-force policy be revised “to emphasize that deadly force shall only be exercised when reasonable alternatives have been exhausted or appear impracticable. The revision in policy will also establish the expectation that officers redeploy to a position of tactical advantage when faced with a threat, whenever such redeployment can be reasonably accomplished in a manner consistent with officer and public safety.”

The recommendations also called on the department “to ensure that all investigations and evaluations of use-of-force incidents include written consideration of whether de-escalation was feasible and, for deadly force incidents, whether reasonable alternatives had been exhausted or appeared impracticable before the use of such force.”

Also included were recommendations calling for de-escalation to be included in all use-of-force training and for the department to survey law enforcement agencies nationwide on their practices and training in regard to de- escalating use-of-force situations.

The report was expected to be reviewed by the full Police Commission on Tuesday. Two years ago, the commission amended the department’s use-of-force policy to allow for a review of an officer’s “tactical conduct and decisions leading up to the use of deadly force” in determining whether such force was justified.

Lou Turriaga, director of the Los Angeles Police Protective League, said he had concerns about the recommendations, which he said could put officers’ lives at risk.

“Clearly this is not a collaborative process by the Police Commission,” he said. “We are very concerned that the recommendations as written may jeopardize officer and community safety. We’re afraid that this policy does not take into account the split-second, life-and-death decisions police officers must make in the field.”

The recommendations came one week after an internal LAPD report was released, finding that LAPD officers used force nearly 2,000 times last year, including 21 cases in which people were fatally shot. More than one-third of the 38 people who were shot by police were mentally ill.

Related Posts

New Report Ranks Culver City as a Top Place to Age, But Challenges Remain

February 18, 2025

February 18, 2025

Survey Highlights Strengths and Key Areas for Improvement in Senior Living A newly released report shows that 81% of surveyed...

Free Legal and Recovery Workshops for Los Angeles Residents Affected By Wildfires

February 18, 2025

February 18, 2025

Public Counsel Offers Expert Guidance on Rebuilding, Avoiding Scams, Trauma Public Counsel, a nonprofit public interest law firm dedicated to...

Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban’s LA Home Burglarized on Valentine’s Day

February 18, 2025

February 18, 2025

Burglary Part of a Growing Trend of High-Profile Crimes in Los Angeles The Los Angeles home of actress Nicole Kidman...

UCLA Students Protest Suspension of Pro-Palestinian Groups On Campus

February 18, 2025

February 18, 2025

Demonstrators March After University Suspends Student Organizations Groups of students gathered on the UCLA campus Tuesday afternoon to protest the...

Metro LA to Begin Ticketing Bus Lane Violators with Camera Enforcement

February 17, 2025

February 17, 2025

Motorists Parked in Bus Lanes Will Face $293 Fines For Each Infraction Drivers who park in bus lanes will soon...

The Department of Public Health to Hold Virtual Town Hall on Post-Fire Air, Soil, and Water Safety

February 17, 2025

February 17, 2025

LA County Officials Will Discuss Environmental Testing, Recovery Efforts The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health will hold a...

Los Angeles County Launches $32.2 Million Relief Grant for Wildfire Victims

February 17, 2025

February 17, 2025

Eligible Households Affected by the Palisades Fires Can Apply Soon The Los Angeles County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs...

Culver City Police Seek Suspect in Weekend Battery Incident

February 17, 2025

February 17, 2025

Man Accused of Assaulting a Victim is Still at Large Authorities are asking for the public’s assistance in identifying a...

(Video) Enjoy Beach Proximity and Prime Amenities at Ocean View Hotel

February 17, 2025

February 17, 2025

For More Info, Go To Oceanviewsantamonica.com For More Info, Go To https://t.co/RmxV3mgYCs pic.twitter.com/30oSvl7Zvf — Westside Today (@WestsideLAToday) February 17, 2025

Deadly Stabbing Outside Popular Santa Monica Bar on Saturday

February 16, 2025

February 16, 2025

One Man Killed, Another Injured in Early Morning Attack The Bungalow, a popular restaurant and bar in Santa Monica, was...

Iconic Gloria Vanderbilt Estate Hits the Market for the First Time in 72 Years

February 16, 2025

February 16, 2025

Historic Beverly Hills Mansion With Star-Studded Past Listed at $16.5 Million For the first time in 72 years, the historic...

Melrose Avenue Businesses Forced to Close After Floodwaters Inundate Stores

February 16, 2025

February 16, 2025

Heavy Rains Turned Melrose Avenue Into a River, Causing Severe Damage  Heavy rainfall in the Fairfax District caused flooding on...

State Farm Faces Scrutiny Over Emergency Rate Hike Request From State Official

February 16, 2025

February 16, 2025

Commissioner Lara Demands Answers on Financial Stability and Consumer Impact California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara has responded to State Farm’s...

UCLA Suspends Pro-Palestinian Student Groups Following Protest at UC Regent’s Home

February 13, 2025

February 13, 2025

Chancellor Cites Potential Student Code Violations; Student Groups Reject Allegations UCLA has suspended two pro-Palestinian student organizations following a protest...

Flash Flood Warning Issued for Burn Areas, LAFD Officer Swept off Road by Debris

February 13, 2025

February 13, 2025

Storm Damage Closes Pacific Coast Highway, Officials Urge Caution Not even members of the LAFD are being spared from the...